


a country boy's world

by xxcaribbean



Category: One Direction (Band), Real Person Fiction
Genre: Fluff, M/M, ziam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-21
Updated: 2013-06-21
Packaged: 2017-12-15 16:11:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/851483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxcaribbean/pseuds/xxcaribbean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>when their tour bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere, zayn’s not expecting to meet someone as interesting as liam. cowboy!liam, popstar!zayn</p>
            </blockquote>





	a country boy's world

Zayn tries his best to concentrate on everything else aside from the shit situation he’s currently in with his band mates. As he walks, he focuses his vision on the ground, kicking up little rocks on the side of the road to see if he can hit the back of Louis’ legs with them. It’s the only source of entertainment he’s got at the moment, and it’s a lot better than him complaining like he had been just moments ago.

“Would you quit it?” Louis asks, glancing over his shoulder to look at Zayn.

Zayn only shrugs, but stops nonetheless.

“How much farther do you think we’ve got?” Harry calls out. He’s behind Zayn and sounds like he’s no better off than the rest of them.

“I don’t know, Harry.”

Paul is in front of the four of them, taking charge, as always, and leading them along the white line of the highway. They’ve been walking for a solid fifteen minutes and Zayn already wants to take a break. The heat is sweltering and of course the day their tour bus breaks down would be the day that Zayn decided it best to wear all black attire.

“Can we take five, please?” Louis speaks up again.

Niall’s been the only one who hasn’t complained and when Paul stops walking, Zayn turns around to make sure the youngest two in the band are okay.

They all take a seat on the pavement. It’s hot on their arses, but they put up with it if it means they get to rest. Zayn’s sure this won’t help any though, considering there’s no shade and all they have is two water bottles to pass back and forth between the five of them, but he’d rather not say any of it out loud. They’re already having to hike an unknown number of miles just to find the nearest phone so they can get their bus fixed and all of them back on the road.

“Maybe we should try our phones again?” Harry suggests, pulling his out. But as soon as he turns the screen on, lifts the phone into the air in hopes that maybe that’ll it’ll connect to some signal so they’ll be able to call for help, he huffs and sticks it back into his pocket. “No luck.”

Zayn scratches at his nose before taking the water bottle being handed to him. He only takes a sip, very aware that they’ve got to save some. They’re probably being rather dramatic about this because at least they’re not lost in the desert, but Zayn, as he’s sure the rest of his mates, haven’t known weather like this whatsoever, especially coming from a place like Europe where it’s mostly rainy days and cold weather.

“We need to get moving again,” Paul suggests.

Groans accompany the words right after, but they all reluctantly stand either way because it’s the only way they’re going to be able to get out of this situation. Zayn figures there would’ve been a car that would’ve passed them by now, possibly offering them some help, but so far, the highway has been dead save the two cars they’ve counted passing in the opposite direction.

Zayn’s not even sure what part of America they’re in. It’s definitely in between one venue or another otherwise they would’ve avoided taking small back roads like the one they’re on now. Of course, none of them figured the bus would end up breaking down; it only made sense to take a shortcut.

“Hey!” Harry shouts.

Zayn furrows his brow and turns his head to the side while continuing to walk. He finds Harry has stopped and turned in the opposite direction, waving his arms like a lunatic.

It only causes Zayn to run into Louis.

“Sorry,” he says.

“There’s a car!”

They all turn to glance at what Harry’s pointing at, and sure enough, there’s a lone truck headed their way. Zayn knows they probably won’t stop for them. There are five of them on the side of the road and more than likely fewer people in the vehicle approaching them. There’s more cause for concern there, and he’s positive that he wouldn’t be kind enough to stop either had his situation been switched.

“Harry, leave it,” he says. He’d rather they not get their hopes up because it’s more than likely that the person driving will pass them with only a glance out of the corner of their eye and not spare them anything more than that.

Harry looks at him with narrowed eyes, a clear sign telling him to shut it. “It doesn’t hurt to try.”

So Zayn rolls his eyes and stands to the wayside with his arms crossed over his chest as they all wait for the truck to get closer to them.

Zayn looks around him though, and in the distance he can see the tour bus. They haven’t even travelled a mile yet, and it only further brings down his mood.

He’s nudged then, an elbow pushing into his side to get his attention.

“They’re stopping!”

Zayn turns his attention back to what’s going on and finds that the truck, the one he’d been sure would drive on by, is coming to a halt. They park on the other side of the highway though, definitely not in the middle in case anyone else comes travelling down, though Zayn’s sure that’s highly unlikely given the fact that they’re the only people out right now.

It only takes a second or two for a head to pop up over the truck, clearly standing on the running board and leaning against the roof.

“Y’all need a lift?”

Zayn looks wide-eyed at the stranger. He’s young, by the looks of it, with a cowboy hat sitting on top of his head.

“You offering?”

There’s a nod. “There ain’t enough room for the lot of ya, unless ya ride in the bed.” The man’s head jerks in the direction of the back of the pickup. There’s a bale of hay there but other than that it’s empty and Zayn finds that he looks to Paul to see what they’re next move is going to be.

“How far is town from here?”

The man looks off into the distance, squints his eyes and says, “About ten miles or so.”

Zayn groans. “Let’s just go.”

Someone makes a move to protest but Zayn hears none of it because he waves them off. He’s not sure if the stranger can hear their talk; he’s trying his best to keep his voice down but there’s no way in hell he’s walking to town or sitting out here in the heat for much longer. He’d rather take his chances with a man who looks like he couldn’t harm a fly rather than make like bacon in a frying pan.

“You have a name?” Zayn calls. It’d help lesson his worry and hopefully give their group easiness about the situation.

“Liam Payne, sir.”

Zayn cocks an eyebrow at the politeness. “I’m Zayn; these here are my band mates.” He introduces them quickly enough, wanting to get on the road. The promise of getting into a town with people in it appeases him the more he thinks about it because it only means food and a bed.

“Well, if y’all wanna get going, we’ll be there in no time.”

Zayn’s the first to move, looking both ways on the highway before running over and climbing into the bed of the truck. He keeps his duffle bag on his shoulder, the one he’d packed on the bus when he knew they’d be walking and motions for the rest of the guys to follow.

They do so reluctantly, although Harry’s more willing given the fact that he’d been the one excited that someone was heading in their direction. It’s also easy to see that their manager isn’t happy either, but he follows along, climbing in the back too until they’re all settled.

Liam hasn’t gotten back into the truck yet, but Zayn turns to the side to address him and for the first time, he can see his face clearly and the first thing he does is smile. “I think we’re good.”

Liam smiles back. “Then hang on.”

He climbs back in the truck, and Zayn does as he’s told; he hangs on to the edge and feels the wind whip at his hair when Liam takes off down the highway. None of them look overly happy, but Zayn’s got a good feeling about this.

x.x.x.x

The second time Zayn meets Liam, they’re exploring the town. It’s been a good twelve hours since Liam had dropped them off at the local motel and went on his way. Zayn’d been quite sad about the fact that he probably wouldn’t see Liam again although they’d known one another for a total of thirty minutes, and had even talked to each other in less time than that.

“Howdy,” Liam says, gives the group a big smile. Paul’s not with them today, which Zayn’s grateful for. He’s too busy on the phone trying to get their little sideshow back on the road. They’ve got a venue booked four days from now, and they’re already behind schedule.

“Hi,” Zayn says.

“Thought y’all’d be long gone by now.”

Zayn doesn’t miss the way Liam removes his cowboy hat to run his fingers through his hair. It’s cut short, but it’s still shaggy and falls against his forehead. The tips of them looked a little soaked in sweat, but Zayn figures that’s normal considering the fact that if Liam lives here, he must be used to the weather.

Zayn also doesn’t miss the fact that Liam fiddles with his hat either. He’s nervous.

“Nah, Paul said something’s wrong with the bus’ engine and either we’re going to have to get a whole new bus or find new parts for it. I really have no clue.” Zayn shrugs, and looks off to the side. Harry and Louis are standing close to one another, pointing and gazing at the shops around the town while Niall’s off in his own world, chowing down on a hot dog they’d managed to buy from when they’d bought lunch.

Liam’s still messing with that hat, and while it distracts Zayn, his voice pulls his gaze up to his face. “This might be a long shot, but I know someone down at the garage. They may be able to help y’all out or at least get you to the nearest city from here.”

“You’d do that?” Niall asks, deciding to join in on their conversation. The wrapper for the hot dog is now scrunched up in his hand, and he's wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“I don’t see why not. It won’t hurt to give it a try.”

So it goes from there. They end up leaving Liam for the day, on his way down to the shop to inform his friend of their troubles and a way to contact Paul.

In the mean time, Zayn gets to spend the rest of the afternoon with the rest of the fellas with Liam on his mind. It’s not often he’s smitten with strangers he meets in other countries, but Liam’s already found a little soft spot in his heart that he’s further melting quite quickly.

Zayn knows this is a small town, realizes that about mid-way through the day given the fact that no one’s stopped them out here in the town’s square. People pass them by without a second glance, and if they do glance at them it’s to give them a nod of their head, a smile or a good ole’  _how are ya?_

It’s different here than what’s Zayn’s used to, and although he’d grown up in a relatively small town, England was small enough to begin with. This place is known for southern hospitality, warm welcomes and friendly strangers. And sure, there’s a moment or two when Zayn thinks he spots a couple of people looking at him, more like glaring if he’s honest, and he’s pretty sure he knows what for. His skin isn’t because of the sun, but that doesn’t put him off, especially since nobody comes up to him about it. They let him be.

Other than that, he mostly enjoys the freedom of walking around and exploring. There are no fans and cameras and Harry and Louis are able to hold hands. Zayn’d been positive that wouldn’t have been a good idea given that gossip is known to happen in small towns as well, but they’ve been welcomed just the same.

And overall, the entire day makes him miss the days where’d he’d just been Zayn, not Zayn Malik, one fourth member of the most famous boyband in the world.

x.x.x.x

By the third time Zayn runs into Liam, he’s not sure if it’s a coincidence anymore or if the universe is trying to tell him something.

They’d all managed to hitch a ride back down to the tour bus; how convenient was it that Harry had forgotten something and claimed that he needed it, though Zayn’s sure he’d only wanted to go back for his stash of condoms and lube he’d forgotten take so both he and Louis could have some fun.

Zayn gets a chill at the thought.

Liam’s currently standing at the front of the bus, handing over tools to someone who’s halfway under the large vehicle, while their feet is sticking out from under it.

Zayn really has no clue what the fuck they’re doing, but Liam greets them with a smile, unaware that he’s got a line of black on the side of his face. It’s probably grease.

Niall tags along with Harry and Louis back onto the bus despite the fact that there’s currently someone under it. Zayn doesn’t think they have enough meat on their bones to cause the bus to come crashing down and squashing the man helping them out, but they haven’t had much luck so far and wouldn’t put it past anything for that to actually happen.

“We’ve got to quit meeting like this,” he says. It’s the first thing out of his mouth, and he regrets it because he’d hate to have Liam think he hates him.

Liam smiles though. He’s a bit gritty, dirt on his skin, sweat too, but Zayn thinks that’s okay.

“How long have you been out here?” he asks.

Liam shrugs but it looks like he’s trying to come up with an answer to the question so Zayn’s not left hanging.

“An hour or so I guess.”

Zayn’s not sweating or anything, especially since they’ve been riding around in a rental car with the air conditioner on, though it’s nothing new, not by a long shot. It’d been one from the local dealership they have here but it looks more like a parking lot full of old junk cars. He’s surprised the thing still runs.

“In this heat?” His voice squeaks and he blushes.

“Ain’t that bad.”

Zayn chuckles because that can’t be true.

It goes silent for awhile. The man under the bus continues to ask for random tools and there’s a brief thought that he might break something, that they’ll end up owing the bus company a large sum of money. He’s suddenly hesitant about anyone touching the damn thing, but then again it’s not like the business would know anyone’s tampered with the bus. They’ve been here a total of two days already, and according to Paul – who’s Zayn’s been able to hear from his hotel room, shouting down the phone in order to get them back on schedule again – they’re a shit business anyway for not willing to make this whole situation right.

There’s a shout or two from the bus. It startles both Zayn and Liam, but Zayn clears his throat in order to distract him from what he’s sure is bickering between Niall and Louis.

“So you know our names, and you know we tour because we’re a band, but I don’t know much else about you except your name.”

It’s small talk, something Zayn’s good at, especially since he’s been in the business long enough to carry on false conversations with people and pretend that he cares.

But only this time he genuinely does care because it’s Liam, all rugged and cowboy like, and it warms Zayn’s heart to know that he’s the decent kind of fellow to help a set of complete strangers out.

“I work on a ranch.”

Zayn licks his lips, eyes widen just a fraction of an inch.

“Naw, I don’t own it,” Liam answers the unspoken question. “I’m a ranch hand. In fact, I was driving in to town just the other day for more cattle feed. We ran out and been waitin’ on the ranch’s supplier to send in more.”

Zayn purses his lips and pretends to know what Liam’s talking about. It’s not like it’s a garbled mess of words, but Zayn now understands that they’re from two very different worlds.

Zayn’s stage lights and busy streets.

Liam’s hard work and homemade pie.

“You should visit while you’re out here. Who knows how long this bus’ll take to fix.”

“You’re sure you can fix it?”

Liam hands off another tool and shrugs.

“We’ll see.” He gives a wink, and then Zayn’s got an armful of Louis babbling on about how they can leave now and get back into town for some very important business though Zayn knows what that really means.

Louis has to drag him away from the bus, but more so from Liam because he’s an interesting character and Zayn would like to roll in his warmth.

“How will I find it?” Zayn calls out, Louis’ fingers curled around his wrist and dragging him to their rental car Paul let them take all the way out here.

Not very smart, if Zayn’s honest.

“Motel should have a phone book,” Liam calls, “Can’t miss it.”

x.x.x.x

Since Zayn has to share the shitty motel room with Niall, he makes the other lad go ask about the phonebook since he’d searched the hotel room over. Currently, he can hear what he thinks is a bed squeaking from the next room over and prays that it isn’t Harry and Louis going at it, but there’s a thought in his brain that tells him otherwise.

Until then, Zayn lays back on the bed and daydreams. Of course his part of a much bigger life, full of money and things handed to him and while the past two days have been slightly less than a culture shock, something’s still off and different and something the entire band isn’t used to.

Sure, it’s great not having flashing camera’s in their face, but Zayn wouldn’t mind a five-star hotel or the opportunity to find a shop that held items that didn’t look like it’d come out of a dumpster. He’d tried his best yesterday to enjoy the moment, roam around town with his head lowered instead of his nose upturned and prudish to the ways of small town folk, but Zayn realizes just how much he’s changed over the years with being in the band.

It’s not like he can’t do things for himself, but it’s proving tough just being here now because he feels limited by what he can’t get. Here, it’s not about money and it’s not about him having a big name. There are more elders than there are young people and it’s about respect and a lot of shit that Zayn’s too scared to admit.

It’s the small life mixed with old fashioned ways dipped in modern times that aren’t all that up to date at all and Zayn wonders if everyone’s just cautious or overly friendly.

And speaking of overly friendly, Zayn lets out a  _oof_  as Niall throws the phonebook on top of his chest, and he’s practically hit with the idea that Liam may be just that, a friendly neighbor kind of guy and not someone who’s actually winking to flirt.

Zayn blushes.

Who knows what they think of people who like the same sex around here.

He feels stupid, and rightfully so. Of course a handsome fellow like Liam would be taken. He may be a little redneck and dress a little different, but there’s no way he wouldn’t have a sweet little thing on his arm to take to all the late night country bars.

“Whatcha need it for?” Niall asks.

Zayn bites his lip. He’s not sure he wants to look anymore, not as excited as he’d been in the first place.

“Liam told me about the ranch he works on.”

“Gettin’ cosy with the cowboy, Zayn?”

Zayn can’t look up to meet Niall in the eyes, and he’s met with a bark of laughter.

“C’mon now, really? Since when is he your type? You go after the pretty boys who’ve got a lot of money and a background worth investing in.”

Zayn shrinks in on himself but flips through the phonebook otherwise. He ignores Niall whenever he talks, pestering Zayn about his new found friend or possible sleeping buddy.

At that comment Zayn glares at his mate, but doesn’t say anything other than that because that was most definitely rude and even Niall felt the sting of that once the words left his mouth.

“Sorry.”

Zayn shakes his head.

It’s a given that Zayn’s slept with people, yes, of all genders, but honestly, he hasn’t been with that many people, not like people would like to think. Sure, he’s a bit of a player, especially in the club, knowing that all he has to do is smile at someone darling enough to fall for his antics and he’s got them hook, line and sinker but as much as he could use it, he doesn’t because although he may live the high life and have expectations, Zayn’s always been one to look for companionship through talking, not through sex.

He sighs. The phonebook is turning out to be a dud and although he’s seen Liam every day since they’d gotten stuck in this little town, Zayn doesn’t know if he’ll see him again.

And as he’s closing the phonebook to place it on the nightstand, the very back cover catches his eye and in big, black letters it reads  _Waggoner Ranch_  with a list of stuff under it, including names and phone numbers and jargon Zayn’s not familiar with.

“We should go,” he comments, running his fingers over the cover and fingering at the corner of the page.

Niall shifts on his bed and looks over at Zayn, “And do what there, feed the cows?”

Zayn tuts. “It could be fun.”

“You wanna get laid.”

Zayn takes a deep breath.

“Okay, alright!” Niall sits up. “I’ll ask Paul tomorrow, and we can drive out there.”

Zayn gives him a genuine smile, one he hasn’t shown in a long time.

x.x.x.x

When Zayn steps out of the car for the rest time and plants his foot onto the ground of the ranch, there’s an inkling of fear in his stomach and a wish that he hadn’t come although this had been his idea in the first place.

The place is a sight to see. It’s all green grass and mountains with the occasional herds of cows that randomly roam the land.

They’re greeted by a sweet old woman who asks what they’re doing there, not rudely or anything like that, but she wonders if they’re here to ride horses or just take a look around the place until Zayn steps forward and blurts out that he’s looking for Liam.

She only raises an eyebrow but doesn’t question them anymore than that, which Zayn is grateful for because he’s already had to hear enough of it from the other lads in the car on the way here. He’d even made them stop by the tour bus (which still wasn’t fixed, by the way) as a favor; they could grab what they hadn’t from the vehicle before Zayn dragged them out here to the middle of nowhere.

And when he says that in his head, looking over the entire expanse of where they are, they really are in the middle of nowhere, more so than they were back on the highway because there’s only the main house, the stable, and a barn sitting to the right along with a row of houses. Other than that, it’s just land.

“So y’all decided to come after all.”

Zayn turns and is instantly greeted by Liam walking towards them.

“It was his idea actually.” Louis nudges Zayn, and he ducks his head, trying his best to bite back the grin on his face.

Liam doesn’t comment though, just smiles and nods his head towards the direction of the stables. “Well, if y’all are up for it, we’ve got some horses you can ride. I was just about to go out myself, fix up a few fences.”

Before anyone knows it, they’re walking in that direction. There are other men around, doing god knows what and it’s all very different from what they’re used to.

By the time they’re towards the front of the stables, Liam’s already inside talking to a few people before they scurry off to saddle the horses. Each horse is led out one by one as they’re fully equipped to ride and while all four boys look on in wonder, they’ve got no hesitation taking the reins when one of the ranch hands offers it too them.

Niall’s up on his horse first. He looks more excited than anything, listening to the pretty woman who’s currently telling him the basics on how to control the animal.

Harry takes the next horse and is easily able to climb on all the while smirking down at Louis, who frowns because he’s the shortest of their group and he figures he’ll have trouble getting onto the brown and white horse that has suddenly made its way over to Louis and huffs in indignation.

Zayn glances over at them, watches how Louis struggles to lift himself on the horse but he does it eventually and realizes he’s the only one without an animal. They’re all sitting so high up too, and Zayn’s got nerves that shoot through his body because he’s never done anything like this before, not even when he’d been a child at the local petting zoo, where all the kids could ride the pony they had there.

It was white and pretty, and Zayn had been too dazed to go near it because he felt sorry for how all the little kids treated it, pulled its hair and the like, and he figured he wouldn’t give it a go.

So Zayn turns back just in time to find Liam leading two horses out of the stables. He’s heading directly towards Zayn and the pit in his stomach grows because Liam’s done this a thousand times over, for sure, and Zayn hasn’t and everyone will be staring at him to get up on the horse, and while Louis just had trouble a few minutes ago, he’s always been able to laugh off any kind of negative situation that hadn’t benefited him in the slightest.

Zayn, on the other hand, isn’t like that at all and while he can take jokes played on other people, his face heats up at the thought of embarrassing himself in front of so many other people, including the lads because he knows they won’t ever let him live it down.

“Go head,” Liam says, which only causes Zayn to snap out of his thought process.

Liam’s standing next to one of the horses, holding out the leather strap for Zayn to take so he can slot his foot into the stirrup, lift up and swing a leg over the horse.

So he nods, steps forward, bites his lip and tries.

And falls.

He’s dazed, because it’s unexpected. He’s sure most people wouldn’t have trouble doing this, but goddamnit it, he’s nervous and of course this would happen to him.

He can already here the laughter from Harry and the cackles coming from Niall.

“Bugger off,” he shouts, and stands back up, dusting what debris he can reach off of his backside.

“You okay?”

Zayn quirks his head up to meet Liam’s gaze. “Yeah.”

“Not everyone gets it the first time. They make steps too, if you need that.”

Zayn rapidly shakes his head and closes the distance between him and the horse. “Naw.” So he tries again, lifting himself up until he feels another hand resting against his back to help keep him steady as he manages to swing his leg over the animal.

Once he’s on, he grips the reins tightly in his hands, makes sure his feet are in the stirrups, and uses his leg strength to tighten his grip on the horse.

“I won’t fall again, right?” He looks over at Liam who’s already on his horse and moving in closer to Zayn.

“Long as you hang on, you won’t.”

Zayn watches as Liam moves forward, directing the entire group to move forward and follow his lead while another ranch hand follows behind them, silently and probably all for their safety too since they’re strangers in a strange land. Zayn realizes they’re going on a horse trail, and he prays that Liam knows the way, that they won’t get lost and Zayn can manage to stay on his horse long enough to get through this because while he’d planned on coming here in the first place, he figured the most they’d do was see cows and chat with Liam, not actually be invited to make friends with the horses that resided here.

“So you travel a lot then?” Zayn hears Liam ask someone. It’s not directed at him, and that makes Zayn a little angry because it’d been his idea to come out here in the first place while the other lads had wanted nothing to do with it.

“All the time,” Niall groans.

“Y’all ever go home?”

Zayn knows that no one really knows what to say because while yes, they do get to go home and see family every once in awhile, their jobs demand so much from them already in order for them to stay mainstream and on top of the world.

“Sometimes; it’s a rarity,” Zayn admits, which causes Liam to turn his head and as much as he can to look at him.

Zayn’s noticed that any time someone speaks Liam has a habit of looking them directly in the eyes and nowhere else, unless his nervous, then he tends to fidget just like he’d done the other day with his hat and being polite.

“What could be more important than home?”

Zayn holds back a sarcastic laugh because lord of mercy, Liam’s clueless.

“My job,” he grits out, suddenly angry all over again.

Liam halts, waits for Zayn’s horse to walk up next to his and only when they’re side by side does Liam move again.

“Because it sure sounds like it makes you happy.”

Zayn would really like to shove Liam right now, though he doesn’t because he can restrain himself, and it’d be horrible to throw Liam off his horse, just downright mean.

“We are.”

Zayn can feel Liam’s eyes boring into the side of his face, but he refuses to look and Liam lets it go for now.

x.x.x.x

When they get back to the ranch, they’re ushered inside for a good home-cooked meal since it’s nearing sundown but Zayn takes the opportunity to sneak outside for a smoke, ignoring the way his stomach growls for food because he knows there will be plenty left despite the fact that Niall’s already having a fielding day with seconds. It’s all good food, Zayn knows, because it was made from scratch and plenty of it to feed an entire hand of staffers.

“Hope you’re not ignoring me.” Zayn’s startled at first, almost drops the fag but manages to grip it tightly between his fingers.

He shakes his head, “No, why do you think that?”

“Touchy subject.”

Liam sits in one of the wooden rocking chairs on the porch while Zayn’s currently sitting on the railing, one leg propped up on the surface while the other one is left dangling.

Zayn snorts but sucks at the cigarette.

“It’s not so bad,” he says. He looks out at the horizon, how the sun dips, hiding away and bringing an array of colors, pinks and oranges against the fading blue sky. He hasn’t seen something like this in a long time.

In his world, it’s all about the go, go, go and never about sitting still for five minutes because there’s simply not enough time. They’re either doing promo, jetting off to another country or touring like they should be doing now.

Zayn sighs. “But I miss home too.”

Liam hums.

“You’re from around here?”

“Grew up here my entire life.”

“Never thought about leaving? You know, going away and living your dreams?”

“Who said this wasn’t what I wanted to do?” Liam responds.

Zayn moves from his position, dropping his other leg so he’s straddling the railing. His cig is almost gone but he doesn’t rub it out just yet.

“You can’t be that happy here.”

Liam cocks an eyebrow, clearly waiting for Zayn to explain himself.

Zayn motions around him, indicating the nothingness, no cars, no people, nothing except dirt and land and a sun that doesn’t do much for anyone aside from giving them light and a decent prediction of time.

“There’s nothing here. It’s… it seems lonely and boring.”

Zayn says it like he can’t fathom living out here, and he really can’t because it’s nice for the time he’s been here, but he really begins thinking about life out here in a small town. He’s ready to leave yet wants to stay, just so he can learn what goes on around here, why it’s so different and what’s so appealing versus living in the city where there’s so much going on and where one can’t be bored because there’s life.

Zayn looks back at Liam, watches as he leans forward in his seat, leaning his elbows against his knees.

“And here I thought you were different.”

Zayn tilts his head.

“You’ve seen the world, haven’t you? As much as you’ve travelled, you still thirst for home, and what you’re doing isn’t making you happy.”

Zayn freezes up because that is a major assumption for someone who’s been overly kind.

“You talk like you know me.”

Liam licks his lips. “I ain’t stupid, Zayn. Your tone gives away a lot more than you’d like to believe. You ask me what’s so special about being here, but it’s home. You yearn for yours yet you ask me how I can be happy here. You’d be just as happy at yours.”

He gives a pause, watches as Zayn takes in the information he’s providing, seeing if it makes sense behind hazel eyes.

“We’re different, sure.” Liam shrugs. “City boy isn’t used to the small town, but we ain’t so contrary. ‘Round here, it’s simplicity and heart filled people, just the same as it is when you go home, just a bit different.”

“But it seems so lonely. Haven’t you got anyone out here?”

Liam stands from his seat, makes his way over to the railing and leans against it right beside Zayn. There’s a crinkle to his eye, like he’s smiling just enough to keep the happiness within.

“I only had my dad growin’ up,” he admits. “Worked here out on the ranch too. I’ve got plenty of friends, Zayn, acquaintances too, and I can’t imagine a more lonely life than traveling, away from everything I’ve ever known. And look, I may not get the enormity of what you do, hell, they say you’re proper famous so maybe I should be starstruck or somthin’, but ‘round here, you don’t have a lot to prove in terms of being you.

“People are friendly enough; they gossip, sure do, learned that the hard way,” he smiles wide at some memory since passed, “but they care about my wellbeing.”

Zayn’s sure he’s trying to help him understand his way of life, and that’s only fair, but he feels slightly put off at the idea that Liam thinks his life is far different than his own, though he’s not far from the truth. Lately, Zayn’s been yearning for home. They’ve travelled so much, and he’d give anything to see his family again, his sisters, his parents. They mean a lot to him, and while he’s been blessed with what he’s given, with hard work and determination along with the rest of the lads, Zayn thinks he gets what Liam’s trying to say.

His world is constructed of deceit, enough so that it’s shining through behind his smile. His attempt at hiding his thoughts has failed somewhat, especially if someone like Liam can call him out on his bullshit.

But he’s not ready to give that part of himself up just yet.

“And you’re saying where I come from means no one cares? That’s a pretty big assumption.” Zayn’s fingers itch, the cigarette burning, so he jumps down from his position and stubs it out.

“Naw, don’t take what I’m sayin’ the wrong way now.”

Zayn moves in closer to the railing. Liam’s on the other side of it, but he gets as close as he can without making their situation any more uncomfortable than it already is.

“Then just what are you saying?”

“That it’s time for you to reevaluate why you’re doing what you’re doing before you forget who you are and what you want out of life.”

Liam shifts, bringing himself in closer to Zayn. The side of his mouth quirks up, and Zayn would very much like to lean the rest of the way in to connect their lips together, but he doesn’t, restrains himself and watches as Liam pulls back and walks away.

x.x.x.x

The next day comes as a surprise to Zayn; they’re leaving. The bus has magically been fixed and he feels a sense of dread kick up within his stomach because he figured they’d be here for at least another day, but Paul’s adamant on them being on the road by noon, at least, in order to make up for their lack of travelling. They’re behind schedule and can’t afford to spend another day here.

So when Zayn packs up his stuff and hauls it onto the bus, he’s a bit gloomy simply because he’s not sure if Liam knows they’re leaving, and he’s had a lot of time to think about what he’d said yesterday too. He’d spent the entire night tossing and turning and thinking of ways on how Liam was wrong for saying what he’d said, but right in so many others.

There’s a car horn that honks while Zayn’s within the bus, so he looks out of the window and finds a truck pulling up against the side of the road.

It’s Liam.

He’s chatting with the lads by the time Zayn’s off the bus. Paul warns him that they’ve only got about ten minutes before he’s leaving, so Zayn nods and head in the other lad’s direction.

When Zayn approaches, he hears Liam giving the lads a  _good luck and have a safe trip_  kind of speech, and he ducks his head down to hide his smile because even if he wanted to, Zayn doesn’t think he could ever really stay mad at Liam.

“You should come to one of our shows,” he says abruptly as the other lads are walking away and giving them his space.

He can see Liam fighting off a smile too. “That’s not a good idea, I’m afraid.”

Something in Zayn’s chest deflates.

“It’s not that I wouldn’t want to. I’m sure you’ve got a pretty voice…”

“But you’ve got priorities here,” Zayn finishes.

“Somethin’ like that.” He shrugs. “You’re probably a lot better off without some hick tagging along anyway.”

And Zayn gets it for a brief moment, the hesitation and the words he’d offered yesterday. Liam may not understand his global status, but he’d been trying, tried his best to bring Zayn back down to Earth from his normal status in life. Around here, he’s only Zayn, just Zayn, not Zayn Malik the singer and celebrity.

“I guess it’s for the best then,” he finally says. “Wouldn’t want the world out there to corrupt someone like you.”

It goes silent then, the sound of the bus engine very clear in the background. Zayn’s actually a bit surprised that Paul hasn’t honked the horn, and he’s also certain that everyone’s currently watching their exchange from behind sun-tinted windows.

“You’d be good enough, you know,” Zayn admits, kicking the ground with his shoe. “A level head on tour is not something we have often.”

Liam opens his mouth, assumedly to protest, but Zayn shakes his head and moves forward, resting a hand against one of Liam’s arms.

He’s hesitant to go for what he really wants, doesn’t know why he needs it or even wants it, but he does, so Zayn leans up just a bit and plants his lips against the corners of Liam’s because he’s not sure where Liam’s at in his life, if he’s got someone at home with him or if he’d even like someone like Zayn.

He probably wouldn’t. Zayn’s a bit selfish and otherworldly.

Zayn pulls away quickly enough, clears his throat and says, “You’re a smart one, Liam. Just because I’m famous, doesn’t mean you’re not important too.”

And he leans back in with a small, quick kiss right back on Liam’s lips, savoring the way they feel against his own before he pulls back and flees the scene towards the bus.

He thinks, for a moment, that he hears Liam say something, his name or a resounding  _come back here_  so they can talk about what he’d just done, but he doesn’t. He climbs the stairs of the bus, watches as Paul shuts the door and doesn’t bother looking out of the window to wave at Liam because he wouldn’t be able to see his face because of the tint.

x.x.x.x

Zayn takes what Liam’s told him to heart.

He finishes out the week of tour dates the band has booked before he flies straight home and spends what time he can with his family.

He knows he’ll have to go back, that there are more tour dates and obligations to fill, but for now he’s content because he knows what Liam’s told him was true, that someone like him wouldn’t lie because he wanted something from Zayn.

It makes him feel better, nicer, kinder to the world he truly lives in.

And most importantly, it makes him a bit more hopeful for things to come.

Especially when he takes the time out to visit Liam again because Zayn knows deep down that he’s not gonna be able to walk away from something like him that easily, cowboy boots and all.


End file.
